Final Distance (part 3 of 30)

“So much for enjoying the moment…” Natsuki sullenly thought to herself as she lazily watched the passing clouds from her seat in the transport aircraft that was currently taking her back to her war-torn homeland.

It was only a couple of hours ago that she had been standing in front of the Gakuenchou’s desk back at Garderobe officially turning in her Pearl GEM. It wasn’t like it would be of any use in Vedel, the rules of the Academy actually forbid taking any GEMs outside of Windbloom without permission; besides, she had already graduated from that level of Otome. She should have been receiving her own GEM, but instead she was returning home on request of her mother.

The letter itself had been rather vague on any details of what was happening in Vedel at the moment. One thing for sure, though, was that the fighting was still persistent, but what baffled Natsuki the most was the fact that her mother hadn’t waited for her to officially become a Meister Otome before requesting her presence back in Vedel.

“I wonder what could have happened…” the girl pondered aloud.

“Miss Kruger?” a sturdy male voice interjected, catching the girl off guard.

“Y-Yes?”

“We’ll be landing shortly. Please be prepared.”

With that, the man disappeared back to the front of the plane, and Natsuki sighed uneasily.

What had happened back home? It seemed she would be finding out soon enough.

When Oleander-sama was finally free from her near ceaseless duties as Gakuenchou, she called the young Column into her office. Shizuru entered the room quietly unlike the time before, which she was quite embarrassed of, and studied the older woman seated at the desk in front of her.

Lucretia Oleander simply looked exhausted, the black bags under her tired eyes and the way she slumped in her chair said as much anyway, and Shizuru almost considered bringing the topic up at another time in sympathy for the woman, but when the number two Column straightened and looked her square in the eye, Shizuru continued with her objective and walked right up to the Headmistress’ desk.

“There was something you wished to discuss, Shizuru-san?” Lucretia began, closing her eyes.

“Only if Gakuenchou Oleander-sama has the time.”

The woman merely waved her hand, signaling to continue.

“The letter you gave Natsuki—”

Blue orbs crept open once again.

“—you had it before you asked me to go to Aries.”

“Is that a question, or a statement?”

When the young Column before her remained silent, crimson eyes fixed on her cerulean ones, the Headmistress sighed heavily.

“Yes, I did.”

“Then why,” Shizuru snapped nearly before the other woman’s words had left her mouth, “Why did you send me when you could have easily sent any of the other Columns?”

“That’s rather simple really…”

“Oh?”

“Natsuki had to make that decision by herself, whether to go or stay…so I removed any influences that might hinder that process.”

“Influences?! Influences meaning me?”

A small, amused smile tugged at Lucretia’s mouth, “Is it really that shocking, Miss Viola?”

Rendered speechless, Shizuru could only clench her hands into fists, turning her face away as she fought back her emotions, her entire body shaking from the effort.

The plane that had picked her up in Windbloom was one of two that were housed in the giant structure that was once full with various different aircrafts. The empty space was now used for housing Resistance soldiers since this place served as the group’s base of operations. Being such a large structure, one would think that this would be the first target for an enemy air raid, but the truth was, the Southern Vedel National Airport was the only air base in the southern region of the country, and that fact alone kept it safe from the northern based royalties and politicians whom refused to destroy such a vital key in Vedel’s reconstruction once the war ended…but that was if it ever ended.

Descending out the back of the plane, Natsuki could see the small audience that had gathered to greet her, her emerald eyes instantly meeting a pair of an equal shade.

It really was amazing how much she resembled her mother, especially now that she was older. Natsuki had her mother’s eyes, her hair…her facial structure even, but her personality was most definitely that of her father’s. Everything from their short tempers to their love of motorcycles was the same, which at times made Saeko Kruger wonder if she really had given birth to a daughter.

Daisuke Kruger had adored his daughter more than life itself, sacrificing his own in hopes of obtaining a better place for her to live and prosper. And Natsuki, sharing those same feelings, had sworn to complete her father’s mission at any cost, which was the very reason she had attended Garderobe Academy in the first place.

And now here she stood, back on familiar ground, without any of the advanced technology that was supposed to help end this war, but with a steadfast resolve that refused to accept defeat.

Stopping a few feet in front of the group, Natsuki continued to stare at the woman before her.

“It’s good to see you again, mother.”